The Washington critic., 1887-01-22

tlon knows these 0spersions to be
grossly exaggerated. and many OF them
absolutely false There Is always vice
where large populations are congrc'
gated, and there Is everywhere great
difficulty found, first In the enactment
Of proper laws for its suppression, and
again, in procuring an energetic and
judIcious enforcement of those laws.
The authorities Of Washington, taking
the law rs they find It, are making the
best of II. a better system Is possible,
no doubt but to absolutely eradicate
all violations of law and wipe out Of
existence oil dissolute resorts Is simply
imprncticablc. When that Is done, as
Commissioner Webb well states, then
the millennium.
TnE work Of the Massachusetts, So
ciGly for the Prevention of Cruelty to
Animals Ia an example to be cmulated
by similar societies all over the coun-
Try. II is the most efficient 0rganzl-
tion Of the kind in existence and, for
tunately is well supplied with the
funds requisite to a vigorous prosccu'
lion of It's aims. Were the Washington
Humane Society rs well equipped
financially, through the bcuciiccncc OF
sympathetic friends, It's success and
usefulness would soon become quite as
pronounced. The friends of the cause
should see to 1t that so pralscworthy
nm association lacks none of the mum.
lions of war. Would II not be wise, In
any event, to adopt the Massachusetts
plan Of admitting policemen TO mem
bcrshipY Six hundred and forty three
Of the Boston force now belong to the
society aud take nm active interest in
advancing It's interests being furnished
with membership cards and full In
structions. Major Moore would ccr-
tninly into'posc no objection to the
same thing being done here, and we do
not believe there is n man in the dc.
partment but what would esteem IL an
honor and privilege to be enrolled rs
n member of the Washington society.
In appears from the report Of tho
State Assessors of New York to the
Legislature, that while the assessed
value of real estate for 1856 shows
steady and rapid Increase for the last
eleven years, there has been remark.
| able decrease in the assessment of per-
| sonal property, amounting during the
| period mentioned 10 considerably over
SS2 600 900 Yet 1t is stated as fact
of general knowledge that the personal
property of the State equals at least
the value of the real estate. II must be
very imperfect method of assessment
then, or the result of very culpablc
neglect that the total of the realty for
1856 foots up 2,s0O, 800, ,O62, while the
| total assessed value of personal prop
er,y is only 1924 1921. There Is Il
suggestion of vast injustice TO taxpay.
crs in these extraordinary figures, the
bulk Of the burden falling upon the
owners of real estate, while through
various processes of exemption and eva.
sion the owners OF personally bear but
n small fraction of It.
The death of Mrs. Voorhees,, tho
wife of Senator Voorhees, of Indiana,
is an aillction that will be widely and
severely felt. Not only has II grca,
cloud of darkness fallen upon the
household, of which the central AM
eiTulgcnt light ia thus cXtinguished
hut In many other circles, where tht
deceased was known only 10 he be
loved, will hearts he bowed with nm in
consolablc grief. In the daily wall
and conversation Of Mrs Voorhees, til,
domestic virtues shone pre.emincnt
She was as rich in charitable md gen
Crous impulses rs she was devoid %
ostenlation, and possessed w.lhal
force of character that gave direction
to we'll balanced Judgment and mad
her in nll the relations Of life an effect
i've influence for good. To the Senate
and his family, thus Drreft, Tue CRiTI
extends It's profoundest condoleucc /,
their sorrow. only regrei,ing that 1t
words have not the weight of Its sym
pathics.
Il. G. Dun u CO. : Weekly Rooicn o
Tdde for to day puts somewhat be,
ter face on the situation than II ha
worn for some time past. II says:
The swelling tide of industry and lesitimat
business Ia recorded In weekly bank clearing
and railway trafllc returns Cloarings outsld
Of New York are tho largest ever known fc
the season though Boston, Providence
, Springfield and Portland at the North an
Galveston at the South, fail behind last yea
all other cities report gains, anu the aggr
= cato outside of New York Increased lOle p,
0 cent. for last week, Railroad earnings thu
, far In January show large gnlus over Ia
year; In December " roads gained III y,
cent, and for the year 1870 the gain In ear
: lngs was w per cont, against i}6 per cent
, ml!oago, Al Indianapolis, the past week, q
t2S ears were moved, gain Of ~ per con
over the same week last year
{ " II Ia n proper question to ask {
the WOmcn's Christian TcmpcranC
Union, we should like TO know VIII
furnished the ladies with the "shocl
~. IA